Typically, carrier stock with individual container-receiving apertures for machine application to substantially identical containers is formed, as by die-cutting, from a single sheet of resilient polymeric material.
Various attempts have been made to provide such carrier stock with tear-open capability. An example is disclosed in Olsen U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,989. As disclosed therein, outer band segments of such carrier stock are formed with tear-open tabs.
In each of the related applications referenced above, improved carrier stock with tear-open capability provided by tear-open tabs having improved features is disclosed. Such tear-open tabs offer significant advantages over tear-open tabs known previously.
In some instances, however, consumer preferences, characteristics of application machines, regulatory considerations, or other factors may dissuade packagers of beverage cans or other containers from using carrier stock having tear-open tabs. Thus, there has been a need, to which this invention is addressed, for carrier stock having tear-open capability that does not rely upon tear-open tabs.